


Caramel Hot Chocolate

by theHunter_and_theNinja



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-27 03:00:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20941172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theHunter_and_theNinja/pseuds/theHunter_and_theNinja
Summary: Connie tells Daryl how she feels





	Caramel Hot Chocolate

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I will always be a Daryl/Paul (Jesus) shipper but, with Jesus gone in the show, my heart as found solace in this ship. Hopefully it won't be as painful to love Connie as it was to love Paul.

Daryl sighed as he stared peacefully out at the sunset from atop Hilltop’s wall contemplating what was going on in his life at the moment. He’d accidentally adopted Lydia as she refused to stay with anyone else and Connie was becoming increasingly important to him in a way he wasn’t familiar with. His closeness with Connie wasn’t like it is with Carol or was with Rick. He didn’t see her as a sister or best friend. He was honestly at a loss for what she was, he just knew he didn’t want to lose her.

Carol wanted to run off together and leave all this behind. She, as was he, was tired of the fighting and losing people they loved. But to run away would require him to abandon the rest of his family, never to see them again. It wasn’t like when he’d retreated into the forest to look for Rick and hide from the rest of the world. He always knew he could go back and see his family whenever he wanted to. To leave completely was unthinkable to him. He couldn’t abandon his brother’s family. Judith, RJ, and Michonne meant too much to him for him to ever be able to leave them behind. If he left, it would be with his entire family or he wouldn’t leave at all. He loved Carol, she’s the sister he never had, but he couldn’t abandon his niece and nephew.

Daryl suppressed his instinct to flinch when he felt a hand tap against his arm. He could tell by the size of the hand and the way in which it was done that it was Connie trying to get his attention. He broke his gaze away from the sunset and turned to look at the woman now standing behind him. He couldn’t help but immediately notice how the light from the setting sun caught her eyes giving them a flash of gold against the brown. Daryl blinked at the observation and did his best not to stare, trying to pass his gaze off as waiting for her to sign something or hand him her notebook. 

_ “Mind if I join you?” _ she signed.

Daryl shook his head, “Nah.”

She smiled brightly at him and moved to stand next to him, leaning against the top of the wall. She gazed silently out over the landscape, seeming to just enjoy being there in the moment. Daryl moved back to his original position, but found his gaze wandering away from the sunset to settle on the woman beside him. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun with only a few stubborn strands standing free. Her elbows were resting on the top of the wall while her hands hung over the edge, clasped gently in front of her.

She turned to look at him and he quickly looked away, embarrassed that she’d caught him looking. Seriously, what the hell was wrong with him? She tapped his shoulder again bringing his gaze back to her.

_ “It’s fine with me if you look,” _ she signed smirking at him.

He felt his cheeks flush red and he ducked his head. He’s never had this problem before with anyone, ever. The effect she had on him was so foreign and unsettling, yet intoxicating. He glanced back over to her to see her still looking at him as if waiting for a response. He swallowed nervously as her turned his body towards her.

_ “I don’t... I think...” _he tried, but faltered not knowing what to say.

Thankfully, she took pity on him and reached out to stop his stuttering hands before he could embarrass himself further. She squeezed his hands tight in her own before dropping them.

_ “I’ll go first,” _ she signed, taking a deep breath.

Daryl waited for her to continue, a confused look splayed across his features.

_ “I like you,” _ she continued.

His confusion only deepened. He’d know they were friends, but he didn’t understand why they had to say it aloud. Was that necessary for some people to declare to each other that they were friends.

_ “I think of you as a good friend, too,” _ he responded, hands a little unsure of what he was saying.

She saw the confusion on his face and read it in his hands. She felt her heart melt at his unbelievably innocent response. For a man who looks so rough and tumble, he was insanely innocent in some areas. It seemed that romance was one of them.

She shook her head and tried again, _ “I like you as more than a friend.” _

Daryl blinked slowly as he watched her hands. He paused and ran the movements back through his head thinking that he’d mistranslated that. He kept moving his hands as if he wanted to say something, but didn’t know what. He finally just resorted to the verbal refrain of, “What?”

She laughed softly and decided to try a different approach.

_ “Would you like to grab a drink together sometime?” _

Daryl started to say “what” again, but stopped halfway through when he realized what she was doing. She was essentially asking him out on a date like someone would’ve before the end of the world. Daryl just kind of stared at her trying to process what was going on. It was now obvious that she wanted to be with him romantically and Daryl found himself not at all opposed to the idea. He quite liked the idea of being able to kiss her and hold her. As time went on and her question hung in the air, he noticed that her smile was dropping. She was beginning to think his silence was rejection, not just shock and he knew he needed to say something.

A short signed, _ “Yes,” _was all that he was able to manage at the moment, but it was enough.

Her smile returned and her eyes shone with joy. She stepped closer to him and looked up at him. He could feel how close she was to him and he looked down at her. He was frozen in place as she rose up onto her tiptoes and kissed him gently on the corner of his mouth. She rested back onto flat feet to gauge his reaction.

He searched her eyes for any sign of insincerity or joking, but failed to find any. The last time he’d had a romantic relationship was never. He’d only ever had disappointing one night stands with random women at bars that normally Merle had picked up for him. He’d never kissed them though, naively wanted his first kiss to be with someone he genuinely liked and could see himself falling in love with. Now, here he was at 45 years old and possibly about to have his first kiss and he had no idea what to do.

Finally, he just bit his lip and forced all his anxiety to the back of his mind not wanting it to ruin the moment. He slowly leaned down into Connie’s personal space and she tilted her head up towards him in response. He paused only inches from her mouth, swallowing nervously. He could feel her breath ghosting across his face, drawing him in further. He felt one of her arms reach up and grasp the back of his neck. His hand moved to rest hesitantly around her waist, just barely even touching her.

After what seemed to be an eternity, she moved upwards and breached the remaining space between them. Daryl gasped quietly as their lips met. Daryl did his best to respond appropriately to each move of her mouth. He found himself really enjoying the kiss, but in the back of his mind he was worried that his inexperience was making the kiss bad for Connie. She could tell that he was inexperienced, but she didn’t mind it. Instead, she was trying to silently teach him how to kiss her, coaxing him on how to move with her own mouth.

She didn’t try to add tongue into the kiss deciding it was too much, too fast. Based on his reactions, this could very well be his first kiss and she didn’t want to push him. Daryl tightened his grip around Connie’s waist, pulling her body even closer to him. She melted into his strong embrace and brought her other hand up to run her fingers through his long hair.

They eventually broke apart when the need for air was too much for them both. Daryl didn’t try to kiss her again, instead he rested his forehead against hers. His eyes were closed as he just took in her presence and what had just happened. She liked his intimate yet almost platonic response to their kiss. It was so innocent and undeniably Daryl. He moved his head from resting against hers to nuzzle against her neck, again a very intimate yet innocent gesture. She held him close against her and closed her own eyes to enjoy the moment.

Daryl pulled away from her and gave her his signature half smile, his face as red as the dying sunset behind them. She smiled at his expression and he shook his head at her.

_ “Shut up,” _he signed halfheartedly in a teasing manner.

She giggled at him, but took his hand in reassurance.

_ “I’ll see you tomorrow,” _ she signed, _ “You owe me a drink.” _

Daryl nodded, _ “I’ll keep an eye out for some salted caramel hot chocolate packets.” _

She hit him lightly in jest smiling shyly at his comment. She was surprised that he’d remembered that she missed hot chocolate more than any other drink from before. She was especially shocked that he’d remembered her favorite flavor. Daryl leaned over and kissed her gently on her temple before bidding her goodnight and making his way down the stairs to his trailer. She sighed as she watched him go, the moonlight catching on the handles of his knives. He turned and waved at her before disappearing inside.

She waved back at him and waited patiently for him to go inside. Once he was inside, she jumped up and twirled around in joy. She hadn’t believed that he’d ever want to be with her. He’d always presented himself as such a loner, so she was happy that she’d been right in assuming that he seemed that way only because he’d never had anyone to love in the way she loved him. She was beyond excited to show him how fulfilling a relationship like this can be, even in this chaotic world they live in.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated. <3


End file.
